Improvement in looms



THOMAS ROBJOHN'OF NEW YORK, N.- Y., vASSIGrNOR TO'THE AMERICAN' i NEEDLE-LOOM COMPANY."

` Letters Patent No. 64,573, dated flIey 7, 18fi7.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOOMS T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RoBJoHN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and-useful Improvement in Looms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exaet descrip- .tion of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relatcs to novel means of depositing the filling or weft within the warp, and of forming the selvedge at one edge of the web. The weft-yaru or filling is taken from a bobbirnspool, or lyarn-beam, arrangcd in a suitable position by means of a straight, eye-pointed needle, the length of which is somewhat greater than. the width of the warp or -web to be woven, aud which is so arranged, applied, and operated as to have a longitudinal movement to and fro ina direetion transverse to the Warp, and properly timed in relation with the harness .motion of the loom to enter the warp from oneside, ,pass through it, and be withdrawn therefrom every time the shed is opened by the harness in the usual manner. By thisxnovement the said needle is made to carry the weft yarn or fillig double. through every shed of the warp. At the opposite side of the Warp to that at which the needle enters there is arranged a Shuttle, such as is used in sewing machines, and which moves in the are of a circle, in a plane parallel or thereabouts with the plane in which the closing of the sheds of the warp takes place, and the movement'of which is so timed that, while theshed of the Warp remins openlafterlthe passage of the weft-earrying needle through it, and before the return of the said needle commences, or immediately after the commencement of such return, the said shuttle carries a yarn through the loop formed by the `doubling of the weft-yarn at the eye of the needle, and so causes the doubled weft-yarn to be retained within the warp while the needle returns. The yarn carried by the aforesaicl shuttle forms the-selvedge yarn on that side of the warp at which the said shu'ttle works, and the movement of the said shuttle is so` t-i1ned'that it reaches its greatest "distance from the warp after passing through the'doubled weft at the sam-e"time`-;as the n-eedle completcs' its return movement. so that the weft-yarn and the selvedge-yarn pull or are drawn one against the other in such manner as to form a tight selvedge. One advantagewhich these devices for depositing the weft-yarn or filling within the Warp and causing its retention therein, as cornpared with the shuttle cor'nmonly employed, consists in the provision it afl'ords for the use of .a greater length of weft-yarn or filling, particularly in looms for weaving tape, ribbon, or other narrow wares to which, on this account, the invention'is' especially suitable, obviating as it does the freqnent stoppage of the loom for the substitutionof full shuttles forf'the spentones. ,Another advantage which believe to result from the invention, particularly .in weaving nari'ow'wares, is the more rapid production of the woven fabrie by reasonof the greater rapidity at which the filling or weft-needle inay beworked, as compared with the shuttl'e. The present invention also consists in a. pecnliar combination and arrangern'ent of' a weft-r'etractor for drawing back the slack-weft from the warp, and in a peculiar arrangement of a shaft and p its adjuncts for operatingboth the wcft-earrying needle and the shuttle which carries the'selvedge-yarn. Thc`` invention is illustratedby the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure-l is a plan of a looin with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same with the breast-beam and front of the framin'g rcmovcd to expose the filling mechanism, which is partly in section, to view. v t i Figure 3 is a'vertical section of the samevparallel with the warp.

Figure 4 is a side view of the filling device.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of the needle and the stock in which it is hold.

Figure 6 is a side view of the Shuttle. i

Figure 7 is a plan of the cam by which the reed is operatcd.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the lseveral figures.

The lcom is represented as having the Warp-beam A, whip-roll B, breast-beain O, take-up lroll D, and harness E E, arrang'cd substantially in the usual manner, but theseparts may be arranged in any other suitable way.. The lxeddle-frames E E are represented' as working in fixed upright guides F F, erectedupon-the framing G, and operated by treadles I I, the upward movements of which areproduced by meansof a rctatinn'studded barrel, J, and their downward m'ovements by springs a, fig. 3, but they may be ap'plied and operatedin any other known or suitable mauncr, their number being such as may be necessary for 'plaiu, twilledJ or other weaving.. The

warp is rcpresented in red color. The reed K is arranged in a vibrating frame K1, attached to a rock-sliai't` K2, and substantially like the lay of an ordinary loom, but having no race-board. The reed-frame li, instead of having a'regular reciproca-ting motion like the'lay of an ordinary loom, requires to have its motion produced more quickly to give time for the needlc to pass into and be withdrawn from the warp, and to this endvitis represented as worked by means-of a cam, L, on the main shaft- M of the loom, which is shown in an'upright position. This cam, of which fig. 7 is a plan view, has its groove, by which the reed-frame is operated, of such form that it produees the forward and backward movement of the lay during a small portion of each of its revolutions, one of which takes place forevery opening and crossing of the shed of the warp to heat up thefi'lling and afterward return to its normal position against or in proximity to the haruess. Motion 'is or may be coniniunicated from the cam L to the vibrating frame K' of the recd by means of a levor, N, attached to a rock.- shaft, O, and fitting at its opposite end by a projecting' pin or roller in lthe groove of'saidca-m, and sorvi.'ig','ly its vibration.of the rock-shaft O, to operate a lcver, 1*, a'ttachcd thereto and linked by a red, Q, to the roedframe K'. The same lever P may also answer to work the treadles I I, that is, to give them their upward movement during the beating up of the reed, by means of a red, R, constructed to bite against or on a ratchct-whecl, J/, Inade fast to the shaft of the studded barrel J, which is prevented from back action by a spring resting thcreon, as usual in ratchetfeeds or actions. The manner of hanging and guiding the treadles, also the construction of the harness, being the same as in ordinary looms, or not nccessarily different, need no minute reference here. Attached to the rock-shaft K2 of the reed-framc is an arm, b, (see more partieularlyfig. 3,) which is connected by a red, c, to a lever, d, that has a pawl formation at i'ts lower end, which, as the rced beats back, acts against a ratchet-wheel, e, the shaft of which earries a screw,f, gearing into a worm-wheel, y, fast to the take-up roll D, to give the necessary take-up action'thereto, or said roll may be dilferently operated. 'The `main shaft M may also be made to drive, in a direct manner, the needle carrying the 'weft-ya'rn and Shuttle with its interlacing or looking yarn as follows: I S is a crank fast to the main shaft, and connected by a red, S1, with a needle-stock 01' holder, S2, which accordingly has a reciprocating motion given it to project the eye-pointed needle S3, with its weft-yarn, through the shed of the Warp, and in due time to retire it therefrom and return it to its original or starting position within a long sleeve, S4, which acts as a guide to the :wedle-stock. T is the shuttle, or its equivalent, on the opposite side of the warp to that at which the needle enter's. This shuttle carriesa reel, h, the yarn, s, from which passes out through an eye in the shcll of the Shuttle that is seated loose in its carrier T' to perinit of the shuttle passing with its yarn through the loop of the weft-yarn, the same as if said loop were slipped or drawn over the shuttle after the manner of certain well-known interlocking thread devices insewing machines. The shuttle-carrier T' may be of an elastic character, hinged in its rear to a reciprocating driver, T2, and adjustable in front thereof from below by a set-screw, to facilitato the passage of the shuttle through the loop of the weft-yarn. To give to the driver T') its necessary reciprocating action it may be secured to a shaft, U, carrying an arm, V, which is operatcd by a rod, l'V,`tli1'ough an ecccntric, X, on the main shaft M. The weftyarn is wound round a yarn-beu1n, spool, or bobbin, Y, and from thence run through a guide, j, on to 01' overa friction device or rnnncr, lc, regnlated by a spring, Z, and scrcw-nut, m, to throw more or less tension 0:1 the yarn accordingly as the running friction of said device is incroascd or diininislied, and from whonce said yarn may be entered through guides N O, to and through an eye, p, of a Slackcontroller or weft-retractor, Z, and from thenec to and through the eye of the needle S3, This weft-rctractor Z may bo of the form and construction reprcsented in figs. 1 and 2, whereit is shown as made of wire twisted so as to rest in a'swinging and loosemanner round a fixed pin, (1, and terminating in t'a'o arms, the longer one of which has the eye 7) at its end, and the shorter arm 7' made to rest over a slot in the'ne'edle-holding guide 8*, and when thrown fully back to slightly lock in a notch or depression in or on said guide so as to restraintlie weft-retractorl from starting in its action till the pull o n it of the weft-yarn, as hercinaftcr cxplained, causes it to move toward the warp. Attached to tho`needle or needle-holder is a loop or arm, t, that worl-:s in and out of the slot in the needle-holding guide projectiug above it, and that in the back stroke of the needle Strikes the short arm 7' of the retractor Z and carries back 'the latter with it. Motion being communieated to the main ;haft M, the warp, filling, and interlacing yarns being first properly arranged and connected with their respective levices, and the shed being open by the operation of the harness, theeye-pointed needle S3 movos forward teward ;he warp, while, and simultaucously or thereabouts, the shuttle-carrier with its Shuttle T travels backward, the iccdle in such movement drawing its supply of weft-yaru through the eye 21 of the wcfta'eti'arctor Z, which latter, y its short arm resting in the notch on the sleeve S, remaius stationary during the early portion of the needle's brward motion, but, as the front end of the needle passes with its double line of filling through the sheds of he warp and beyond the latter, said needle, pulling on the weft-yarn, detaches the short arm of the retractor Z rom its holding notch and draws said retractor forward, taking up yarn from the bovbbin Y, which yaru is conrolled in its passage to the needle by the tcnsion device /c that may be of any suitable construction. During his movcmcnt of the necdlc through the wiu'p the Shuttle eoutinues to retire,but cominences to advance before he needlc finishes its forward stroke, or before it 'eommences its return one, or thereabonts, in order that the huttle may enter between the needlc and weft-yarn while the latter is taut, that is, before the loop is formed y the retraction of the ncedlc. This obviates all risk of the shuttle not entering the loop,l which being loose apt to twist, and to accomplish it the under forward 'portion of the needle is made with a recess, v, to admit f the Shuttle-point catering to interlace with the weft-yarn before slackiug, while the upper forward portion the Shuttle .is provided with a recess, u, to allow of the free backward passage of the point of the needle, so enabling the.needlc and shuttle to work in closer proximity. The Shuttle in further advancing passes, ith itsinterlacing yarn 8, through the loop of the weft-yarn left by the retiring needle, After the shuttle has cared itself of the filling by entirely passing through the loop of the latter it continues to advance and the odle to `-retire, the lattcl', intormediatcly of its return, striking, by its arm, t, the .short arm 'f' of the weftretrnetor :rml forcing b'wk the lntter so ns to tighten up the shtok, :tn'l` in connection with or.h theretiring,

:Lotion of the neolle,"'is the ln-tter complet'es its return, which' is simultnneons or thereahonts with the shnltle eomploting its mlvnncostroke, ennsing the (lonhlerl weft-ym'n on the selrerlgeside of the Warp to pull onth-o interlnein` ztrn s. which i-o'l. only ."serres to'retnin the '(louhiml portionfof the w'o'ft-ynrnofroni being tlrown-.ont of then'nrp 'lij' the return of the needle, but also forms 'the selveflge yarn, ivhich, o s the shnttle eompletes its' izulvanee, rlrztws on or against the weft-yorn simultaneously with the 'pulling of the lntler on the iraterlzxeing ynrn, and so makes tight the lock of sai yarns against and'while the reexl books up t-o form the web, said ree' henting; up (luring or :tt the close of the 'return stroke of the needlo nml retiring before the nceilie again coxnmenee's tov ninhe its advance, or during the eztrly'portion thereof. As in this`,-n`1y invcution, the 'neelle drmva its suppl froniizm' outsidebob'oin or its e uivolent a, much lor'rei' amount of xreft-':trn eztnhe worked u without stoo in-' 1 1 a v. l af the loom than Where the lfilli'ng is 'carried by o, Shuttle thet soon spemling -itself remleis necessary the frequent sebstitution offull sh\ 1ttles.` The n'eeclle, too, in most'or all cases ninybe worked q'oiokerthzm o Shuttle carrying the filling. while the interlo'eking of the interlnoing yarn with the filling in the inahner rlescrihed gives :L

tight streight 'iselveflge to the wm'p. Moreover, thesshort :Lot-ion of the ree'l, os compn're'l with la'y motions generally, reduees wear on lthe wnrp-ynrns. I

This improvement is not restricted to weoving narrow wore,' ns the szune may bo used for 'protlueing wehs of eonsiderable width; likewise the lo`om may be onstructed to simiiltaneously weave several webs, ns in ordinary nari'ow-wnre looms` What I eleim ns'iny invention, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent,y is- 1. In combination With za. needlefor corrying the weft-threa'l through theworp in a. loom, a, Shuttle so applied 11ml actuoted as to oper'ate in on are of 'o Circle parallel WithV the plztne of .the warpfthnt in opprooching to enter the loop of the weft-yrn 'it moves nearly parollel'with and close to the'selv'eflge of the web being woven end ufterwarcl grodunlly moy'e's' away from the'worp, `so that in completing its movm-ent ot the same time os the needl c'ompl'etes its retiring movement it pulls its yorn or thread tightrinra clirection tmnsverse totlre Warp, substantially les and foi' the purpose herein speeified. i i i V2. The weft-retraotor Z applied to operate on the Weft, substantiolly os yand for the purpose herein specified.

3. The arrongement of the upright shztft M and its cronl: and eccentrie in relation with the \va,1 'p,Whereby they work the needle-holder :md shuttle-corrier ot opposite sides of the .Warp by (lireot rocl eonnections, substmti'nlly os 'herein specified.

THO'S. ROB'JOHN.

`iifitnesses:

A. LE CLERG, J. W. Coomns. 

